1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a station to be connected to a wireless network.
2. Description of the Related Art
With recent advancement of network technology, devices like computers and printers are mutually connected via a network. The typical techniques that have come into practical use include the Internet and LANs (Local Area Networks). Wireless networks have become popular, in addition to cable networks.
There are two major systems to attain a wireless network; one is called the infrastructure system and another is called the Ad Hoc system. The infrastructure system utilizes a star-shaped network where stations (ST) are concentrically connected by a relay center called an access point (AP). In the infrastructure system, the access point that transmits a beacon continuously manages the group of stations to be connected, regardless of the actual data transmission. This ensures stable connection. The Ad Hoc system attains peer-to-peer communication between devices by using a simple connection method. The drawback of the Ad Hoc system is relatively low connection stableness.
The infrastructure system utilizes identification called ESS-ID (Extended Service Set-ID) for prevention of interference. The ESS-ID is identification for grouping stations in a wireless network. ESS-ID in all devices involved in communication is to be set equivalent to establish a network based on the infrastructure system.
Setting of the ESS-ID is rather troublesome in a device without sufficient input interfaces, such as a printer.
FIG. 1 schematically shows a prior art setting in the case of connecting a device without insufficient input interfaces to a wireless LAN. In this example, a printer 20z having a print server for wireless communication is newly joined in an existing wireless LAN environment including an access point 10z and a user's personal computer 30z. In the user wireless LAN, the access point 10z attains concentric connection. The printer 20z can be connected to the user wireless LAN by changing the settings therein through the following operations of the personal computer 30z. 
A common ESS-ID ‘XX’ is supposed to be set for each device in the user wireless LAN, such as the access point 10z and the personal computer 30z. An ESS-ID ‘MM’ is supposed to be the initial setting in the printer 20z. 
At a timing Sz01, the user transmits an instruction of changing the setting of ESS-ID to ‘MM’, the initial setting in the printer 20z, from the personal computer 30z to the access point 10z via the wireless LAN. The access point 10z is accordingly disconnected from the personal computer 30z, while being connected with the printer 20z having the identical setting of the ESS-ID ‘MM’. In the illustration of FIG. 1, the hatching represents connection between the respective devices.
At a timing Sz02, the user changes the ESS-ID set in the personal computer 30z to ‘MM’. The personal computer 30z is accordingly connected to the access point 10z, and may further be connected with the printer 20z by the relay functions of the access point 10z. In this state, at a timing Sz03, the user transmits an instruction of changing the ESS-ID of the printer 20z to the common ESS-ID ‘XX’ to the printer 20z.
The user then returns the ESS-ID of the access point 10z and the personal computer 30z to the common ESS-ID ‘XX’ for the user wireless LAN at timings Sz04 and Sz05, respectively. This completes additional connection of the printer 20z with the existing user wireless LAN environment.
This prior art method requires the rather complicated processing for connection of the personal computer 30z with the printer 20z, prior to the actual change of the ESS-ID set in the printer 20z. Namely the connection of the personal computer 30z to the printer 20z prior to the actual setting of the ESS-ID and the restoration of the personal computer 30z to the connection with the user wireless LAN after the setting require the redundant operations for changing the settings of the ESS-ID in the personal computer 30z and the access point 10z. 
One prior art technique to attain settings in a device without sufficient input interfaces utilizes a local connection, a LAN connection, or another cable connection for settings from a device like a personal computer. This prior art technique, however, requires a troublesome, separate cable connection only for settings in the wireless LAN.
The problems discussed above are not limited to the settings of the printer, but are commonly found in the settings in the case of connecting any device without sufficient input interfaces for settings to the wireless LAN.